Achilles' Heel
by lady-harker
Summary: Trouble stirs up in Nottingham when the Sheriff hires the most successful assassin he can find in England to kill Robin. But is there more to this assassin than meets the eye? my first fanfic so reviews are wanted and very very welcome
1. It Begins

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters. These characters belong to the BBC and Tiger Aspect companies and are their properties. I'm not getting anything from this except a lot of enjoyment and hopefully you are too.

**Author's notes:**

**Set:** during the first series between Roy's departure in 'Parenthood'and Djaq's arrival in 'Turk Flu'.

**Achilles' Heel**

**Chapter 1: It Begins**

"Today's the day, Gisborne." Said the Sheriff. He stood in his favorite room in Nottingham Castle, the one that faced out over Nottingham so he could monitor the comings and goings of the castle better. Behind him on the other side of the vast table, in his usual leather garments, was Guy of Gisborne.

"What day, my Lord?" he said.

"The day that the solution to my outlaw problem turns up." He rubbed his hands and glanced at Gisborne. "You remember that you said it would be foolish for me to send for an assassin and a waste of time and money."

"I do." The Sheriff looked towards Sherwood Forest.

"Luckily I ignored you completely and sent for an assassin recommended by Prince John himself less than a week ago. He's 100 efficient. _And_ I received word that he will arrive today."

"But my Lord, I told you my men have the situation under control."

"And I told you, I ignored you. It was clear to me that your men don't 'have it under control'." Stated the Sheriff. He turned to Gisborne. "In fact the only way it could be under less control is if they were just to stand aside and let the outlaws do anything at all in my castle. And it's not as far off from that situation as you claim." The Sheriff walked round the table and towards Gisborne. "No Gisborne, I've given you enough chances. What we have, is an outlaw infestation." he rubbed his hands together gleefully. "This assassin is the exterminator that I need."

"I still believe that it would be cost-efficient to use my men." Gisborne said stubbornly.

"True, his rates are quite high and we may have to raise taxes again." He walked back round the table as a smile played across his lips at the thought of having to squeeze the local villagers, metaphorically and literally, to keep his money reserves well-stocked. "Your men may be cost-effective but that is the only thing they are effective at." His anger rose at the reminder of his previous defeats. "Constantly Hood has slipped through my grasp all because of the bumbling of your men!" He strode back to his throne-like chair and sat down, putting his feet up on the table. "You may go." Gisborne bowed his head slightly before making to leave. He almost reached the door when the Sheriff spoke again. "I want to be informed the moment he steps foot inside the castle, Gisborne."

"Yes, my Lord." And with that Gisborne left.

* * *

A man wearing a long grubby hooded cloak hobbled towards the inn making sure his hood concealed him from any passing guards. He particularly headed towards a table at which a young man sat. The young man's name was Peter and was there to deliver a crucial message. At least that's what his letter had said. The hobbling man sat down and took great care to hide his face.

"What is it Peter?" said the cloaked figure.

"Robin? Is that you?" Peter was startled but smiled as he glimpsed Robin's contagious grin beneath the hood. "I'd never have guessed."

"You said that you had an urgent message." Robin reminded him. Peter gazed around to make sure they weren't being watched before lowering his voice.

"When I was in Rochdale, a messenger arrived from the Sheriff of Nottingham. He claimed to be looking for the assassin that goes by the name Achilles."

"Achilles?"

"Yes. It is said that Achilles can kill anyone with a single blow and is an expert swordsman. He has never come across a man he cannot defeat." Peter leaned closer in as a guard drew close by. He lowered his voice even more. "It is believed that the Sheriff wishes him to kill you." Robin laughed. Peter sat back. "It is no joke. Your very life could be in danger."

"Peter," Said Robin cockily, "The day I am beaten by a man who works for the Sheriff is the day I hang up my bow."

"But you don't know Achilles." Peter warned. "You must be on your guard, Robin. He is due to arrive this morning and he works quickly."

"Alright," he said with a smile, "I will keep a look out for a murderous man with an eye for killing me. Do not worry yourself Peter." He added seeing the anxiety on his friend's face. "He will not kill me. And if you don't mind I need to return to my men in the forest. I promise you, no harm will befall me. So long Peter." With that he stood up and after shaking hands with Peter he hobbled in the direction of the forest

"I just wish I could have your confidence." Peter mumbled.

* * *

Robin arrived back at the camp. The camp was just a clearing where they had temporarily set up camp until somewhere more…comfortable became available. Although they did have doubts that that would be happening anytime soon for them.

"Master!" Much called upon seeing Robin. He rushed up to him. "Where have you been?"

"I went to see an old friend called Peter. I had received a letter from him asking me to meet him in Nottingham."

"You went to Nottingham?" came a worried voice from the side of the clearing. It was Will.

"What if you'd been caught?" said Allan who appeared at Much's side. Robin strode into the centre of the camp.

"I wasn't caught." Said Robin indicating his body. "I'm here with all my limbs, aren't I?"

"So what did Peter want?" asked Little John as he rose from where he had sat unseen by Robin.

"He wanted to catch up with me. See how I was doing, you know." Robin sat on a log near the fire and helped himself to a remaining scrap of meat.

"Really?" Said Allan. "How did that conversation go? 'How's things Robin?' 'Well, Peter, I'm an outlaw and currently the most wanted man in Nottingham and I live in the forest with four other men.' I don't know why but I don't think I believe that."

"What was it really Robin?" said Little John. Robin sat uneasily. He knew what their reaction would be.

"He wanted to tell me that an assassin…well that the Sheriff has hired a very successful assassin to kill me."

"What?" cried Much.

"How successful?" asked Will. They began to panic

"I don't remember."

"How successful?"demanded Little John. Robin hesitated with his answer.

"Well I think Peter might _possibly_ have said something about him never having lost a fight with anyone."

"No way!" Said Allan. Robin stood up.

"Look I think you're overreacting a bit." He said.

"Overreacting?" Exclaimed Much. "Overreacting! It's not safe for you to be going into Nottingham as it is. But if there's going to be an assassin there as well, it'll be suicide to leave the camp let alone help the poor."

"I'm not going to stop helping the poor just because there's someone who wants to kill me." Said Robin. "It hasn't stopped me before." The others calmed down a bit. "We'll just have to be a bit more careful when we're thieving." He looked at all their faces and could see the fear they had for his safety. "Don't worry," he said, his contagious grin slipping into place, "I'll be alright."

* * *

A horse-drawn carriage bumbled over the cobbled streets of Nottingham. The driver avoided whipping the horses as he had been instructed by his passenger. It was odd because as he had explained to the passenger, whipping the horses resulted in shorter journey times which made many people alright with the whipping. Yet this passenger was adamant.

"I would sooner reach Nottingham late with healthy horses than turn up early with ones on their last legs. I find they last longer that way, don't you?" They'd said. Yet as it was they who would have to pay for the extra time he didn't care much. It was his pocket being lined after all.

Not a word had been said by the passenger since they'd left Rochdale. They were very quiet and didn't complain about the bumpiness of the road like many passengers did, or the length of the journey but simply sat in silence, brewing over what was likely to lie ahead.

People gazed at the carriage in bewilderment. Usually when a carriage such as this one rumbled into town then pain and suffering usually followed for the population of Nottingham. It rumbled up to the gates of the castle where Guy of Gisborne stood on the other side of them. The driver got down and approached slowly.

"What is your business?" barked Gisborne.

"I bring Achilles," stuttered the driver, "from Rochdale." Gisborne glanced at the carriage before turning to the guards and nodding at them to stand down. The driver clambered back onto the front of the carriage. The gate was opened and the carriage passed silently through before it was shut again.

"Inform the Sheriff that his assassin is here." He instructed a guard. Less than a minute later and the Sheriff came through the door gleefully rubbing his hands.

"At last. Now Gisborne you can see what a real fighter looks like. And see how he gets the job done." He sneered at Gisborne. "Welcome, Achilles!" he boomed as he approached the carriage. "Welcome to Nottingham." He opened the door and saw inside the carriage. He saw what he assumed to be Achilles, draped in a long cloth cloak. "Please step out." Achilles stood up and stepped out onto the courtyard. A hood was drawn over Achilles' head so that it hid his face. It turned almost directly towards the gallows.

"Perhaps you would like to talk further inside." Suggested Gisborne. The Sheriff led the way and after a while Achilles followed him into the castle.

The Sheriff led Achilles directly to his favorite room. Upon entering he made straight for his favorite chair and immediately sat down, making a point to fill the chair as much as possible so as to seem more commanding. Achilles simply stood in the middle of the room.

"Am I allowed to see your face?" asked the Sheriff, trying to sound commanding and yet polite at the same time. He wanted Achilles to do what he said but he didn't want to anger the assassin.

"I must warn you, many who see me for the first time are shocked. Severely." Achilles warned.

"I assure you there is little that can shock me."

"You'd be surprised."

"Please." Achilles relented and reached for the fold of cloth to pull down the hood. The trained killer did it slowly and eventually Achilles face was revealed. "My God!"

_Next Chapter: Robin!_


	2. Robin!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters. These characters belong to the BBC and Tiger Aspect companies and are their properties. I'm not getting anything from this except a lot of enjoyment and hopefully you are too.

**Author's notes:**

Although people have been asking about Achilles identity and making guesses why the Sheriff said 'My God' at the end of the last chapter, I always intended it to be written in this manner so that it won't be revealed just yet but so people have a chance to figure it out as all the clues are going to be there but not pieced together for you. Please review.

**Chapter 2: Robin!**

Vaizey smiled. Today was a good day. His assassin had arrived and eventually, after a little negotiation, had agreed to kill Robin Hood for him. True that he would be a bit more out of pocket as Achilles had refused to do the job for less than double the originally agreed price but it would be worth it. Achilles had babbled something about being mindless to go against Robin Hood as word had spread of his pinpoint accuracy.

"That's why I need you." Vaizey had said. "So word can spread again that Hood is not a man of freedom but a breaker of laws and so I do not become the laughing stock of the whole of England."

He had tried to trick Achilles into accepting double pay if Robin should cause harm such as death to the assassin but Achilles was smart and said that plan was completely see-through. Eventually it was decided that the Sheriff would pay half the double pay before the killing and half the double pay when Hood was dead.

The Sheriff gazed out across the courtyard of his magnificent castle. Beyond the castle he could see Nottingham. Beyond that he saw Sherwood Forest. Somewhere out there was his hired killer plotting to kill Hood. Probably sneaking up behind him and slitting his throat right now. Well perhaps not. Achilles had said to allow it a couple of days. After all this was Robin Hood.

He looked into Nottingham and watched the little townspeople walking by. Every so often someone would stop walking and would look towards the castle. Some gave it a glance of fear, others a stare of hatred. His smile turned into an evil sneer at the thought of their little screwed up faces becoming sad when he announced Hood was dead and no longer able to look after his beloved people.

Gisborne still didn't believe he'd done the right thing by hiring Achilles, in fact he believed this even more since he'd met the assassin. Mind you, Gisborne _was_ trying to stir up some interest from that daughter of the old Sheriff, Marian. Honestly, thought the Sheriff, the sooner he stops fawning over her, the better. Still their little 'lovers tiffs' were really the only entertainment in the castle since Hood had returned from the Holy Land.

"Soon," he muttered to himself, "order will be restored."

* * *

Allan sat poking at the ashes of their burnt out fire with a random stick he'd found. Robin and Much had gone to deliver food that they had stolen from a passing wagon to the local villagers. Little John had decided to wander around nearby in case any guards strayed too near their camp. Will was sat opposite him carving at a piece of wood.

"What do you reckon he'll look like then?" said Allan idly. Will didn't look up.

"Who?" he said.

"Achilles." Allan tossed the stick aside. "I mean, if he's coming then we ought to conjure up an idea as to what he looks like." He shifted on the log and leant with his elbows on his knees. "So what do you think?" Will glanced up but went back to his carving.

"I don't know."

"Well if he's got 100 accuracy then he must be quite muscly. Big broad shoulders. Able to kill with one swift blow of his hand." Allan mimed it as he spoke.

"Why would he be big?" Allan snapped out of it.

"Well he's got to kill a lot of people I suppose."

"Yeah but he's got to get close enough to kill them first. Sly and sneaky. Probably thin and slender. Able to move at a fast speed."

"Yeah…well…" Allan felt silly after being presented with this logic.

"Have you heard of Achilles before?" asked Will.

"Why would I have heard of Achilles?" Will looked at Allan.

"He's from Rochdale. You're from Rochdale. I thought you might have heard of him. Didn't mean anything by it mate."

"Well I haven't heard of him. He's news to me." Allan peered at what was in Will's hands as he went back to chipping it. "What you doing there?" Will held it up to the light.

"It's another dog tag. In case anyone else joins the cause. Since John insists on keeping Roy's we need another one just in case."

"And you needed something to do."

"That too." Suddenly they heard a scream of pain. They looked at each other in horror.

"That sounded like Robin!" said Allan. Quick as a flash they were on their feet and running towards the scream.

* * *

Much watched Robin as he ventured out into the centre of the village and cautiously placed a few baskets brimming with bread and meat around a pole that stuck out of the ground. Robin had said he wouldn't stop and he hadn't. Not since they set out that morning had he stopped for more than a few seconds. It was becoming clear that although Robin seemed to be taking this whole assassin thing in his stride, it was actually bothering him very much.

"You should slow down." Much advised as Robin returned to the bush in which he was hiding with an agitated attitude. "If you keep going at this rate you'll collapse. Or worse. We'll see how useful you are at helping the poor when you're unconscious, shall we?"

"I'm fine. Look at me. I'm alive aren't I?" Robin silently snapped.

"You know what I mean." He knew that Robin knew what he meant. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Robin was obviously extremely troubled which had never helped Much's mental state before and it certainly hadn't changed now. He knew that Robin wasn't used to being threatened by something he'd never seen or didn't know. And instead of talking it through like any normal person would, Robin was doing the Robiny thing and trying to run, quite literally, from the feeling of not being in control.

They visited several other villages but Robin didn't ease up. The food had been delivered to almost every village within reaching distance of the evil force known as Sheriff Vaizey of Nottingham except Robin's former home of Locksley.

Robin led the way into the forest and began to walk in the direction of Locksley trying, poorly, to avoid the small clearing where he and his men had temporarily set up camp. Will had once mentioned something about beginning construction on a proper camp soon where they could sleep and eat. Like a little home from home. Although he knew it would be no Locksley and Will didn't want it to be.

This Achilles would be someone to keep an eye on. That is if Robin actually saw him. Robin thought about it and suddenly realised that the gang hadn't let him go anywhere on his own since he'd told them about the assassin. They were trying to protect him. He tried to hide the smile creeping across his face at the thought of having such thoughtful friends. It stopped when he remembered that he was a grown man, more than that, he was an outlaw. An outlaw perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He didn't need them to watch over him like a hawk. Much had once said that Robin must have a guardian angel. Obviously he didn't believe it at all or he wouldn't have stuck to Robin like the little puppy-dog that he often acted like.

Much gazed intently at the back of Robin's head hoping that if he did it long enough he might see inside his master's head and know what was going through it. They had been going all morning and they'd barely had breakfast and it was soon to be too late for lunch. But Much couldn't think of food at a time like this. His master was going to be killed. Mind you a rasher or two of bacon wouldn't be too bad right now, or maybe a leg of lamb. Then again beef did have an appeal, not forgetting pork of course. Being an outlaw may put them on the moral high-ground but it didn't half make Much miss being in the manor at Locksley. While his mind was wandering around the world of food, Much failed to notice that Robin had stopped and ended walking right into him.

"Oof!" he puffed. Moving back Much glared at Robin. "A little warning would be useful, Robin." Then he saw that Robin was looking around and had put out a hand to stop Much from going forward. "What is it?" Robin put a finger to his lips to indicate that Much should shut up. "What is it?" Much whispered.

"I'm not sure." He paused. "I thought I heard something. Probably nothing." Robin continued to walk on.

"Well thank you very much for giving me a heart attack. I do believe you've taken ten years off my life." He followed Robin and carried on talking. "You know that I'm jumpy what with this assassin thing. I bet you didn't hear anything. You're just doing this to make me more edgy. Well I'm telling you it won't work."

Much continued to prattle on about how everything was unfair towards him. But Robin had long ago learnt how to cut it out. That's when he heard it. A bowstring being pulled back and let go. The whistling of an arrow which ended with a thunk as an arrow landed in the left of his chest. The force pushed him back and as he landed on the ground his head hit a rock and everything went black. It all happened so quickly. There was nothing he could do.

* * *

Much was hurt that Robin was trying to get to him like this. Pretending to hear something in the undergrowth when Much was in this mental state was a very nasty thing to do. And he made sure Robin was aware of it. But Robin was walking fast now and was quite a way ahead.

"You're not listening are you? You see this is why I don't like you sometimes. When I have a problem you don't listen but if it's Will's or Allan's or even Little John's it's 'everyone pay attention'." Robin kept walking. "Robin?"

An arrow came out of the trees and hit Robin hard in the chest. It knocked him back and as he fell he screamed out in pain. Then he hit the floor and there was silence.

"Robin?" gasped Much dropping the food bags he was carrying. "ROBIN!" Much reached where Robin lay and knelt next to him. He saw the arrow sticking out of the left of Robin's chest. "Oh my God! What do I do?" he looked and saw that he was unconscious. "Robin!" he tried tapping Robin on the face but there was no response. "Robin! Wake up! Robin!" Then he yelled to the woods. "Help! Will! Allan! John! Someone!" he turned back to Robin. "Come on! Robin! Wake up!"

_Next: Have a little Courtesy_


	3. Have a Little Courtesy

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters. These characters belong to the BBC and Tiger Aspect companies and are their properties. I'm not getting anything from this except a lot of enjoyment and hopefully you are too.

**Author's notes: **I don't know much about anything to do with medicine so I apologise for any medical talk mishaps in this chapter but the things said are needed to show the kind of person the speaker is. Also I had to rewrite the ending of this chapter three times before I was happy with it, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (when I got it right).

**Chapter 3: Have a little Courtesy**

Little John was running through the trees ducking every so often to avoid a lethal tree branch or hopping over a dead one that lay on the floor. He'd just heard someone scream and it had sounded like Robin. Now he could hear someone shouting.

"Help! Will! Allan! John! Someone!" It was Much. Something had happened and although Much did have a habit of making a big deal out of nothing but something told John that he wasn't this time.

"Much!" he yelled back. He burst through the last few trees and came out onto one of the beaten tracks. He looked up and down the road and saw Much knelt on the ground next to Robin's limp body a short way down it. Will and Allan appeared out of the trees behind Much and Will knelt next to him.

"My God!" said Allan. "Who did this?"

"It came out from somewhere over there." Whimpered Much pointing to the trees and bushes opposite John. John stepped towards the undergrowth with a menacing look dominating his face. He intended to take down whoever dared shoot his leader. Will saw John's intentions and hastily stood up.

"Let me look." He said, walking over to where John stood. "I'm sure we'd prefer whoever did this to be alive so that we can ask them questions. Don't you agree?" John didn't take his eyes off the undergrowth. "John."

"Aye." He agreed. He stepped back but still didn't take his eyes away.

"How about this?" suggested Will to the others, making sure he kept John in sight. "You, John, with Much, take Robin back to camp and Allan and I will see if there's still someone in the bush." Will looked to their faces for approval. Allan nodded.

"It's a good plan." He said. Much nodded too.

"John?" John still hadn't taken his eyes off the undergrowth. "John!"

"Aye." He strode angrily over to where Robin still lay. Much was practically shaking with fear because blood was now spouting freely from the chest wound but the arrow was still embedded in his chest, everyone afraid to remove it for fear of causing Robin more pain. John bent down and scooped Robin up in his huge arms. He then whistled at Much to follow him and began to stride towards the camp. Much followed John's striking figure, mumbling to himself. He got like this whenever something happened to Robin, even in the Holy Land.

Once the others had gone, Will signalled to Allan and they crossed the dirt road, sneaking towards the trees where Much had pointed. They silently crept towards a clump of bushes that were there when a twig snapped loudly under Allan's foot. Allan flinched as Will hissed at him to be silent. He always seemed to be the one to step on a twig. However it seemed to do some good because the bush jittered a bit. Allan looked hopefully to Will who nodded and pointed at him to go round the side.

Will closed in upon the right while Allan did the same on the left. Allan held up three fingers to Will. He put one down, then another. As he put down his final finger, he and Will jumped into the bush and grabbed at whatever was in there. It was alive and was definitely human because it stared to shout at being grabbed.

"Get off me!" the person yelled. They sounded young. Together Allan and Will dragged the person out of the bush and forced them onto the ground. Between the two of them they kept them pinned down.

"Who are you?" yelled Allan, trying desperately to restrain their flailing left arm. "Who are you?"

"Get off me!" Allan managed to keep the arm pinned to the ground by almost laying over it. Now he wasn't stopping the thrashing limbs he could clearly process who he and Will had a hold of.

"Hang on!" He said. "You're just a girl."

"Well done!" she remarked sarcastically. "Work that out on your own did you?"

"But who are you?"

"Just get off me!" She said. She'd given up struggling and just laid there.

"Why'd you shoot Robin?" demanded Will.

"Who?"

"Robin." She looked at them, obviously clueless. "The man you shot. He was lying over there barely a minute ago." Will barked.

"Just get off me! Then perhaps we can have a more dignified conversation." Allan was reluctant but Will backed off and he wasn't sure if he could hold her down on his own so he stood up. "Thank you." She said standing up and brushing herself off. "So much for 'hello, how are you'." She was a young girl, probably in her mid-teens, wearing brown trousers with the bottoms tucked into a pair of beige boots. On her upper half she wore a brown tunic with a green over-shirt. If she was to stand in a bush she would have blended in with the background.

"Why did you shoot Robin?" demanded Will again.

"I didn't mean to shoot him."

"Oh really? Just fire random arrows in the forest do you?" remarked Allan.

"Look I thought he was one of the Sheriff's guards. I've been running from them for a while now. I shot the first person I saw." She seemed upset. "I didn't mean to hit him. It was meant to be a warning shot."

"Well the message got through. He's unconscious and bleeding heavily."

"Allan…" Will began.

"Well I'm sorry. Alright?" she stopped for breath.

"No." Allan snapped. He grabbed her hands and, slipping some rope from his pocket, he tied her hands together.

"Allan? What are you doing?"

"She has nearly killed Robin and I'm not sure if she's telling the truth. Besides we ought to question her with the others there." Having finished tying her, he pushed her in the direction of the camp. "Walk where I can see you."

They arrived at the camp. Little John had laid Robin down on a flat part of the forest floor that they'd covered with some cloth. Much was knelt next him dabbing his forehead with a damp cloth, trying desperately not to knock the arrow.

"Who's that?" asked Little John pointing at the girl.

"She shot Robin." Explained Will. "She says she mistook him for a passing guard." Allan led her over to where Robin laid. Much looked up.

"See what you've done?" Allan said. "Are you happy?"

"Of course not!" she snapped. "I told you it was an accident. Stop having a go at me."

"We ripped his shirt to expose the wound, but he's not improved." Said Much, continuing to dab Robin's forehead. "His temperature's high too. He's burning up." The girl glanced at Robin where he lay.

"You haven't taken the arrow out." She said. Little John looked at her.

"No." He said.

"Why? What could happen?" asked Much worriedly.

"At best it could cause a fever," she looked to Allan.

"And at worse?"

"The wound could get severely infected and kill him." Much gasped and dabbed furiously at his master's head. "The high temperature is probably the beginning of a fever."

"And you'd know about this would you?" said Allan sceptically folding his arms.

"My mother was a nurse. She taught me some things in hope that I'd follow in her footsteps." Allan raised an eyebrow.

"What do you propose we do?" John said.

"Remove the arrow and bandage the wound." The outlaws all exchanged awkward glances. None wanted to remove the arrow for fear of worsening Robin's pain. What could they do? "If you can't do it, I can." They didn't say anything to her but merely dwelled on their own thoughts. She turned to Allan. "The arrow has to be taken out and if you won't then I will." Allan walked right up to her and looked into her eyes. Something wasn't right about her. He wasn't sure what it was but he didn't feel she was someone they could trust. Eventually he took out a knife and cut her bonds, allowing them to fall to the ground.

"Take it out." He said. "But if anything happens to him then I'm holding _you_ responsible."

"Fine." She answered, rubbing her wrists where the rope had cut into them. She walked round Allan and knelt beside Robin opposite Much. She gently rolled her sleeves up and clasped the arrow in her left hand. Then she slowly wrapped her right hand around the arrow above her left. "Brace yourselves." She warned.

"For what?" asked Much.

"This." The outlaws flinched as Robin began to scream as the girl twisted the arrow clockwise while she drew it out.

"What are you doing?" cried Much.

"If I just pull it out there are likely to be wooden shards, like splinters, sticking in his flesh which would cause future discomfort. Doing this prevents that from happening." Robin screamed continually throughout the removal of the arrow.

After what seemed like an eternity, the arrow was finally free of Robin's chest. He stopped screaming but his breathing was irregular and unsettled. She tossed away the arrow and slipped a bag off her shoulder. Rummaging through it, she picked out a gourd and some bandages. Opening the gourd she poured some of its watery contents over the wound which caused Robin to flinch again. She then wrapped it in the clean bandages.

"That's the wound _I_ gave him, cleaned and wrapped." She dusted her hands off and taking the damp cloth from Much, she placed it on Robin's forehead. "Alright?"

The outlaws stared open mouthed at what she'd just done and she tried hard not to look smug.

It had gone mid-day when Robin's breathing became regular again. He'd been lying on the ground for four hours but he was still unconscious. There was just him and two others in the clearing, the girl who'd shot him and Will. The others had left about twenty minutes ago to check out an area where the girl said she'd found some money but had left it where it was.

"How much was it?" Allan asked. She shrugged.

"I didn't have time to count it." She looked to them all. "It'd probably be of more use to you guys anyway. It's hidden in a bush at the bottom of a large oak tree that's a short walk in that direction." She pointed west.

"We'll get it." Said Little John. They began to make ready to move except Allan. He walked right up to the stranger.

"You can stay here." He said not bothering to hide the suspicious tone in his voice.

"I don't know why but I don't think you like me." She said sarcastically.

"One of us should stay here too." He announced to the others. Will stopped in his tracks.

"I'll stay." He offered.

They hadn't said anything to each other since the others left. They were just waiting for Robin to wake up.

Much trod carefully as he, Allan and Little John made their way to the tree the girl had said about. John had said he knew the tree of which she spoke and neither he nor Allan questioned his vast knowledge of the forest as he'd been an outlaw living in the forest longer than they had.

"There it is." John said, pointing at a particularly large tree. There was a large bush growing thickly at its roots. "Go on in Much."

"What? Me?" Much was very reluctant, as usual. "Oh. I see. That's the only reason you brought me is it? To climb into the bush. That is so typical." He began to climb into the bush but continued to grumble.

He was in there some time before he came out. He was carrying a rather large leather pouch tied with black string.

"I think this is it." He said. "Leather. Fancy." He passed it to Allan.

"It's quite heavy." Allan said as he passed it to John. John opened and began to pour the contents into his other hand. Many coins landed on his palm.

"My God!" he said. He quickly counted some of them. "There must be well over forty pounds here."

"But that's impossible." Said Much.

"How did that girl know it was here?" was all Allan could think to say. Something wasn't right about this. The discovery of the money had furthered his dislike of her. It was too coincidental.

"We-we have to show this to Robin." Said Much.

_Next: Past Faith_


	4. Past Faith

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters. These characters belong to the BBC and Tiger Aspect companies and are their properties. I'm not getting anything from this except a lot of enjoyment and hopefully you are too.

**Author's notes: **I've used this chapter to tell you a bit more about the girl introduced in the last chapter because I'm desperate to let you all know. Sorry that this is a long time coming but I haven't had access to a computer in a while but it's here now and it gave me a bit more time to work on it and the next two chapters. Also it's very important to the story so I hope you're paying attention. Please enjoy because I most certainly did.

**Chapter 4: Past Faith**

It was mid-afternoon when Robin woke up. The first thing that struck him was the silence. Normally, Much would be talking in a high-pitched worried voice, but there wasn't a sound. Then he became aware of something wet plastered to his forehead. It couldn't be his hair wet with sweat because he didn't remember having been running. Groggily, he opened his eyes. Everything he saw, to begin with, was just a blur but things soon came into focus. He could see a girl that he thought he recognised but he couldn't think where from.

"Will!" said the girl's voice. "I think he's waking up." Robin heard some shuffling about to his right and Will's face appeared in his eye line.

"You alright mate?" he asked.

"I'm not sure." Robin replied. "I've felt better. I know that. What happened?"

"You got shot." Said Will. "By this girl but she soon sorted you out."

"Right." Said Robin. He reached up to his forehead and pulled a damp cloth off of it. He held it forward to show that he wanted an explanation.

"You developed a fever." The girl said. "I had to keep your temperature down somehow." She began to rummage in her bag. Robin couldn't help but watch her.

"What's your name?" he eventually asked.

"Faith." She said without moving. Will watched her too.

"Are you from around here?" Will asked. She paused but continued with what she was doing.

"I used to be. But now I stay wherever I can." Will's eyes screwed up as he stared at her, desperately trying to see something that was more than skin deep.

"You lived in Locksley didn't you?"

"What's with all these questions?" she snapped, throwing the bag down on her lap. "It's none of your business." Will stopped momentarily seeing tears well up in her eyes. He could quite understand though, after what had happened.

"You're Faith Taylor, aren't you?" he said softly.

"Who?" said Robin.

"Remember Sarah and Ben Taylor. They lived in Locksley before you went to the Holy Land." Robin thought about it. Actually he did remember them. A lovely couple and fantastically understanding parents. "Do you remember they had two children? One son and one daughter. David and Faith."

"I remember them. Sarah was a brilliant nurse and Ben was the sword smith. But, hang on a minute," he sat up and fell back down again wincing at the pain, "they weren't at the banquet, I held for the village when I returned. What happened to them?" Faith joined the two of them. She placed some blankets under Robin's head.

"You shouldn't move just yet." She warned, casting a look to Will that told him she wasn't willing to talk about it.

"After treating a family in Knighton, Sarah caught the pestilence. She died barely a year after you left." Will continued. "Then Ben was called to war by King Richard shortly after the new Sheriff took his current position. Faith was 13 and David was 16 so he had to get a job at the castle to support them. One day the Sheriff's guards raided the house in the middle of the night looking for something. We still don't know what it was they were looking for but when they couldn't find it they arrested David and burned the house. It was thought that Faith was burned alive but people said they often saw her by the edge of Nottingham." Robin turned to Faith who was by his head.

"But you survived." He said and she nodded.

"I wasn't burned alive but I didn't get away unscathed. I got severe burns all down my left leg. I ran from our house to the forest and ended up collapsing there." Her voice was very solemn. "I couldn't walk with my leg the way it was and didn't eat for days. I laid there and thought I was going to die. I was found by a stranger who took me to their house and looked after me."

"What about David?" asked Robin.

"I don't know." Faith sighed. "I found out that he escaped about a year ago. I live in hope that I'll meet him again one day. In the meantime I've done my best to make life that bit more difficult for the Sheriff. Hence being chased by guards and thinking you were one. I'm really sorry about that by the way."

"Stop worrying." Robin insisted. "You've taken good care of me." He grinned at her. She smiled back and spoke as she stood up.

"I think it's only fair to tell you that Much told me what a flirt you are. Then he 'warned me' of some of your tricks like smiling at a girl like that." She said.

"Curse him." Robin joked. He laughed.

"I'll get you something to eat. Only don't tell Much. I figured it's kind of his thing. Now try and get some rest." Faith walked over to the fire. Robin watched her intently and saw it. She hid it well and he would never have noticed if she hadn't mentioned it. She walked with a limp. It was ever such a slight one and oh so subtle, but now he knew it was there and he couldn't help but feel he was responsible. Faith seemed to be yet another person to add to the ever-extending list of people he'd failed by leaving for the Holy Land. Today was not a good day.

"I'm sure you'll find David one day." Will said as he joined her by the fire. She picked up a bowl from beside the fire before looking straight into his eyes.

"Tell me." She said quietly. "Are you saying that because it's true or because you want to reassure me?" Will didn't know what to say. "You may feel sorry for me but I don't need your pity. Really I need you to keep him alive long enough to keep the Sheriff at bay."

"I didn't mean to…" Will began.

"No one does, it just happens. Like a reflex. Someone with a sad story comes along and people go 'aw look at the little person who's lost and alone with no family or friends.' No one to turn to when they have to do something they've never done before and don't want to do."

"Faith?"

"For the last three years I have been alone. I have been chased and hunted. I have had to do things that make my skin crawl and ruin my sleep." She turned her head so Will wouldn't see the tears forcing their way out of the corners of her eyes. Will placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I had no idea." He said. "But we all thought you were dead."

"It was easier that way." She shifted her shoulder so his hand was knocked off. "As long as I was 'dead' it was easier to get around. Besides I'd have to come back to Locksley and talk about things. I'd have to face that ash pile that held so many memories for me."

"So why'd you come back?" Faith faced Will again.

"I decided to stop running." she said, "I heard Robin had returned and I remembered what he was like when I was little. And I thought I was saved. He gave me new hope." Will grinned slightly casting a look sideways to the sleeping figure of Robin.

"He has that affect on people."

Much, Allan and Little John arrived back at the clearing to find Robin asleep where they'd left him. Will was sat by a rekindled fire and he watched them walk over. Much sat next to Will while John and Allan sat over the fire from them.

"How is he?" asked Much quietly.

"Better." Will replied. "He woke up a while after you left. We spoke with him and he went back to sleep." Will nodded towards Robin. "He's been like that ever since. Thing is he's just really tired."

"At least he's alive." John said.

"What about the girl?" blurted Allan. "Where is she?" Will looked to his right and sure enough she was stood at the far West of the clearing. She was facing away from them with her eyes closed, into the wind so that it blew into her face and ruffled her hair.

"We found out who she is."

"Who is she?" asked Much.

"Her name's Faith and she used to live in Locksley." Will lowered his voice worried that she might hear them. "Her mother, Sarah Taylor, was practically the village nurse."

"I remember Sarah." Said John. "She looked after Alice many times."

"Didn't Sarah have a son as well?" asked Much. Will had forgotten that Much had been in the Holy Land with Robin for the last five years. "That boy was often calling me names and picking on me."

"He was barely 13 when he did that. And most of the time it was because you threw food at him to make him go away. He'd pick it up and then eat it secretly." Will said. John guffawed. "So did you find any money?" Allan looked at Much.

"Don't look at me. I gave it to you."

"I don't have it either." Said Allan.

"I have it." John pulled the large pouch out of his huge coat. He tossed it to Will who nearly dropped it because of its weight.

"Whoa!" Will said catching it before it hit the ground. He opened it and peered inside. "How much is in here?"

"Well in excess of forty pounds." Will couldn't believe it.

"That's a lot."

"I know." John looked to Allan. Allan was staring at Faith. "What's the matter?"

"I don't know." Allan said. He turned to the others. "It just seems very convenient that we run into her and she leads us to this large amount of money. Something's not right."

"You're just paranoid." Said Much.

"And you'd know all about that wouldn't you Much?" joked Will.

"Very funny." Much said sarcastically. "I do not get paranoid."

"You got paranoid even before the Holy Land, Much." They turned and saw Faith. She must have walked over while they weren't talking. Except she wasn't looking at any of them. He was looking at something that must have been past them "That's what mum always liked about you. Always worrying. She sometimes said that if she hadn't married dad she would have snapped you up in an instant."

"How long have you been standing there?" asked Allan. Faith smiled.

"Long enough to know that everyone thinks Much is paranoid."

"I could have told you that." Came a croaky voice. Everyone turned.

"Robin!" said John. Robin had woken up! John strode over to talk to his leader and was joined by Will and Allan. Much hung back momentarily.

"Did Sarah really say that?" he asked timidly.

"Would I lie to you?" said Faith innocently. Much smiled to himself and rushed to his master's side. Faith watched the scene before her and felt an aching in her heart. She hadn't seen friendship like this for a long time. In fact, she thought, I've _never_ seen friendship like this before. It made her feel a mixture of happiness and sadness. She longed for David now more than ever. She walked back to where she'd been standing. She continued to watch the sunset as she heard the outlaws talking feverishly behind her.

"Where are you, David?" she said to no one in particular.

Everyone was asleep except Faith. She couldn't sleep because of a knot in her stomach and a searing pain in her left leg. She was, again, stood in the spot where she had watched the sun go down, this time watching the silvery moon. A icy wind blew through the clearing. Faith felt it but ignored it. She hadn't been in the same place with this many people since before her mother died. It was unusual. She heard something move behind her but didn't move. Someone walked to her side and stood next to her.

"You alright?" It was Allan.

"It's weird." Faith replied. "I'd normally be walking about this time. I can't usually sleep at night. Partly because my leg hurts most at this time and partly because it's just too beautiful." She paused. "Trouble sleeping?"

"How'd you guess?"

"Well you're awake."

"Ah."

"Yeah. Ah." There was a silence in which Allan kept glancing sideways at Faith. And he'd keep opening his mouth as though he was going to say something but obviously decided against it because he'd close it shortly afterwards. "I don't know what it is," said Faith, "but I've had the impression that you don't like me."

"What? Where'd you get that idea?" burbled Allan.

"I want you to be honest with me Allan. You think that I want to kill Robin, don't you?" Allan didn't say anything. "Killing Robin is the last thing I'd want to do." An owl hooted nearby and someone stirred in their sleep behind them. "What do you think of me Allan?" Allan paused in thought.

"I don't think…That is you don't seem…"

"Take your time. I have all night." Allan looked at her and then watched the moon. After a while he spoke.

"I don't know what it is but there's something inside me screaming that you can't be trusted even though you've proved you can." He turned to her, anticipating her reaction. Faith said nothing. She just continued to watch the moon. Eventually she slowly nodded her head.

"I think what you're feeling is called instinct." She said quietly. "In my experience, it should never be ignored, no matter what evidence there is. But word to the wise, keep it to yourself for now."

"Because I'm wrong?"

"No. Because the others won't agree with you." Another chilled wind blew through the trees. It went right through Allan and sent a shiver up his spine. "I'm going to bed."

"Don't let me keep you." Said Allan. Faith walked back into the main part of the clearing. Allan watched the night sky and could see what Faith meant. Every star flickered lightly like a candle in the wind.

"Allan?" he turned to see Faith had stopped in the middle of the clearing. "If that's what you think of me, I mean what you really think of me, then I think you have the most common sense of all this lot." She indicated the others lying on the floor. "Good night."

"Night." Said Allan. Allan had the most common sense? What did she mean by that?"

_Next: Share the Wealth_


	5. Share the Wealth

Disclaimer: I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters. These characters belong to the BBC and Tiger Aspect companies and are their properties. I'm not getting anything from this except a lot of enjoyment and hopefully you are too.

**Author's notes:** Hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I'm sorry that it's been a bit slow in the last couple of chapters but now that that stuff is over and done with I can pick it up a bit and I promise there's a bit more action in this chapter. Also Faith is meant to be 16 if that wasn't too clear in the last chapter. Still, don't forget to review.

**Chapter 5: Share the Wealth**

The majestic sun rose over Nottingham and sunlight poured through the window of the Sheriff's bed chamber. It crept slowly across the sheets that were still neatly pulled tight over the bed. Vaizey had not slept that night. Instead, the Sheriff had sat in a chair placed beside the huge four-poster bed, still in the previous night's clothes, and looked out the window. It didn't look over Nottingham and he thought it had an infinitely better view as there were no moaning peasants to be seen in the view. He removed his tooth and fiddled with it in his fingers. After a short while, there was a knock on the door.

"What!" the Sheriff shouted at the door but not moving. The door opened and a servant walked in carrying in a tray laden with food.

"Your breakfast, my Lord." She said.

"Fine. Put it over there." He waved towards the other side of the room. She placed it onto a small table at the edge of the room. "You can go once you've done that." She went to leave when he turned. "Actually, go and wake up Girl of Gisborne and tell him I want to see him now. Now run along." The servant left hastily and the Sheriff leant back into the chair. He held his tooth in his right hand and smiled. He very much enjoyed scaring the servants. They all reacted differently each time and seeing the fear light up their eyes made him feel empowered at times like this. There was another knock on the door. "Come in." Guy of Gisborne walked in, already dressed in his leather suit.

"You wanted to see me, my Lord?" he said.

"I'm tired, Gisborne."

"Did you not sleep well?" The Sheriff shot a look of pure malice at Gisborne before continuing as though nothing had been said.

"I have never been good at playing at the waiting game. Even when I was little I couldn't wait for something longer than I absolutely had to. Do you follow me?"

"I'm afraid not."

"It has been a long time since Achilles went out to kill Hood. Too long."

"Barely a day, my Lord." The Sheriff stood up and drew himself up to full height.

"But, Guy, if you add the time I have waited for Hood to be caught by _your_ ridiculously terrible guards, it becomes a very long time indeed." Vaizey walked towards Gisborne and put his tooth back into place. "If I am going to have to wait longer, I need something to occupy my time. Something that will make me feel happier and preferably hurt Hood at the same time. Can you think of something that does both those things? Hm?" Gisborne didn't answer to begin with, but eventually he replied.

"Taxes."

"Taxes!" said Vaizey and he walked around Gisborne towards his breakfast. Picking up part of a loaf he ripped a handful off it and stuffed it into his mouth "Exactly. But specifically taxes from Locksley."

"I'll have the horses prepared, my Lord." The Sheriff put down the bread and clapped his hands together.

"Good. It might even flush out Hood and we can see if the assassin has done the job yet. If not then I shan't be best pleased. Now what are you waiting for? Get a move on." Gisborne left to arrange the day's activities while the Sheriff continued eating his breakfast.

Robin winced.

"Ow!" He said.

"Stop squirming and maybe it won't hurt as much." Said Marian. She was bathing the wound in Robin's chest. She'd woken up that morning and answered the door to a messenger asking that she meet Robin in Nottingham. Little John, Will, Allan and Much were incognito outside making sure that the meeting wouldn't be interrupted while Faith was with them in the room. Upon seeing the bandages Marian had insisted she look at the wound. "How did you get this again?" Faith looked guiltily at the floor. Robin noticed her.

"No matter." He said, winking at Faith who smiled back. "Ow!"

"Honestly. You wouldn't make such a fuss if someone else were doing it would you?"

"I might do." He looked into her eyes. "It would depend on how much prettier than you they were." Marian smiled at him. Suddenly a lot of water went over the wound. "OW!"

"Oops." Said Marian sarcastically. "I slipped." Faith giggled. Marian redressed the wound in clean bandages. "So who's your friend?" she said gathering together the things she'd borrowed. Robin put his shirt back on.

"This is a former resident of Locksley I ran into yesterday." He said standing up. "Faith. She patched me up."

"You did a good job." Complimented Marian.

"Thank you, Lady Marian." Said Faith nodding slightly. Marian smiled.

"Taking on children now are you?" she hissed quietly at Robin.

"No. Well yes. But she's with us by choice." Marian glared at him. "She's perfectly safe with us. Don't worry." He smiled at her before walking over to Faith. "I've got something for you." He told her. He reached to his neck and pulled out his dog tag from under his shirt. Then he pulled out another one from his pocket. It was the one Will had been working on yesterday. He held out the second one for her to take. "For you."

"Robin!" said Marian.

"I don't think you should be out there alone again."

"Robin." Said Faith in shock. "I can't…"

"Of course you can."

"No you can't give me this."

"Why not? You'd be a valuable member of the gang." He took her hand and pressed the dog tag into it before clamping it shut. "It's yours."

"Robin." He picked up his bag and opened the door.

"I'll get the others together. Come on Faith." He said and he left, closing the door behind him.

"Robin!" Faith ran to the door but he was gone. The door closed slowly behind him. Once it was shut, Faith punched it hard. Then she punched it again and again, over and over with the same hand.

"Stop!" Marian said. She grabbed Faith's hand to stop her. Her knuckles had begun to bleed. Marian held the girl's hand and looked at it sorrowfully. "He shouldn't be getting you involved with this."

"Why not?" said Faith, angrily taking her hand away. "I've been doing it much longer than he has." She sighed heavily to calm herself. After a while she spoke again. "Lady Marian. Within the next few days Robin will come to see you again. Something will have happened that he will not understand." She pulled an envelope out of her bag and handed it to Marian who took it from her. "When he comes, I need you to give him this."

"What is it?" Said Marian.

"It'll help things make more sense. Please make sure he gets it." Marian nodded and Faith put the dog tag round her neck. "Thank you." She opened the door.

"Where are you going?" Marian asked.

"To Locksley." Faith said. "To share the wealth." And with that, Faith was gone.

Robin pulled back a branch and watched the way into Locksley. It wasn't very busy but people were working hard all around the village. His chest filled with joy at the thought of what he was bringing all these people. His people. Just seeing Locksley made him feel he was home where he belonged. Turning to the others he signalled them to follow him. Keeping low they made their way around the edge of the village until they could see the centre of Locksley.

"Here's what we'll do." Robin said to the others. "We spread out round the village in twos, make sure the coast is clear. Then we'll deliver the money, bit by bit to each house. I'll do the first few with Allan. John will do the next few with Will and Much the last few with Faith." Much thought about protesting but didn't bother. He wouldn't win the argument.

Everyone was in place across the village. Robin, having made sure the coast was clear, walked up to the first house and knocked on the door when a dull thundering began underfoot.

Robin gave it no thought. The door opened and a little girl was stood in the doorway. "Hello. Is your mummy home?" the little girl didn't say anything. He gave the girl a little purse. "Give this to your mummy for me. Tell her it's from Robin Hood." The little girl saw something beyond Robin and closed the door very quickly. "Odd."

"Robin!" hissed Allan. Robin turned and saw the start of a procession that usually travelled with the Sheriff. He ran for cover with Allan behind one of the houses. The horses' feet had been the cause of the thundering and Robin couldn't believe that he hadn't thought that's what it might be. What did the Sheriff want in Locksley?

The leather clad figure of Sir Guy scanned the area. He spoke quietly to the Sheriff before he dismounted his horse and gave quiet orders to two of his men. Then he strode out among the people of Locksley.

"We believe that Robin Hood may be here." Yelled Guy. "His thoughts are spreading like a disease among the people." Everyone watched him intently including Robin who was scowling fiercely at Gisborne's back. "I want to know where he is." Silence descended on the locals. "No one?" everyone remained silent. "Then I bring news of more taxes." He yelled to the village. "These will be used to help support King Richard in the Holy Land."

Robin, hidden behind the house went through the possible outcomes in his head. Then he made up his mind. Before Allan could stop him, Robin strode out among the villagers

"I'm here Gisborne." He called. "I getting tired of doing this, really." Gisborne smiled as Robin strode towards him.

"Hello, Hood." He said. "That's far enough." All the guards had their bows drawn and aimed at Robin. The outlaw stopped.

"Did you want to talk to me?"

"Something like that." He pulled his sword out and took a large swing at Robin. But the outlaw had already moved. He took a sword from his own back and a sword fight began between them. Gisborne swiped at Robin again and again but Robin blocked, parried and dodged every blow and with one swift move knocked Guy to the floor. Robin re-sheathed his sword on his back.

"Anything else?" Robin asked. A guard approached the Sheriff and spoke to him. Vaizey listened and smiled.

"I think it best if we leave before Hood makes a complete fool of you again, Gisborne." The Sheriff called. Robin was confused.

"What? No 'grab him'? No 'hang him'?" he asked as Gisborne mounted his horse.

"Believe me, Hood. Nothing would make me happier. But I've got the feeling you'll come looking for me soon enough." He smiled an evil toothy grin. "Yah!" he geed his horse and his procession galloped away after him in a very noisy manner. The other outlaws joined Robin in the village after the others had left.

"What was that about?" asked Will. Robin shook his head.

"I don't know." he turned to face them, counting them in his head. "Where's Much and Faith?" They searched all around Locksley. Robin was beginning to panic. What if something had happened?

"Robin!" yelled Allan. Robin ran to him closely followed by Will and John.

"I found Much." He said, leading Robin to the trees at the edge of the village. Getting there Robin saw him. There Much was unconscious on the ground underneath a tree a little way from where he'd be seen.

"Much must have been knocked into it." Robin said. "Where's Faith?"

"She's nowhere."

Much watched Robin deliver the money to the first house. The smile on Robin's face was unbelievably wide. Much knew that this was the kind of thing that helped his master to get through the day. Helping those he felt he'd let down. He saw Robin turn and dive for cover. Why would he do that?

Much turned and saw the Sheriff and Gisborne trot into the middle of the village. Gisborne turned in Much's direction. Luckily Faith grabbed his arm and they reversed into the undergrowth before he was seen. At least they hoped Guy didn't see them because it could be very dangerous if he did. Gisborne turned to Sheriff Vaizey and said something quietly into his ear. The Sheriff listened and nodded. Gisborne then spoke to two of his guards who disappeared.

"Where do you think they went?" Much asked Faith.

"I don't know." She said. Gisborne was yelling to the village and Much knew that Robin wouldn't stand for it for too long, whatever it was.

"I can't hear them." He said.

"Shh!" she shushed him. "Did you hear that?" he listened in silence.

"Hear what?"

Two guards stormed out of the trees behind them and one of them punched Much, knocking him to the ground. The other grabbed Faith and attempted to wrestle her to the ground. She overpowered him though and he fell back. Unfortunately the other guard jumped her and knocked her out. He began to tie Faith up when Much got up quietly as he could. He sneaked up behind the guard who, having heard Much, turned and rammed him into the tree behind him.

"Faith!" he said just before he hit it hard. He slid down the tree, the impact having knocked him unconscious.

As Much woke up he saw Robin's face right in front of him. Behind Robin were the others. He was still lying by the tree. He sat up slowly and held his head. It was so sore that it would hurt for about a week, he was sure of it.

"Much. Are you alright?" Robin asked as his friend sat up.

"They took Faith." Much groaned as he stood up.

"What?" said Will.

"Two guards. The ones Gisborne spoke to. They sneaked up behind us. They knocked me out and they took Faith."

"That's why they left in a hurry." Said Little John.

"We have to save her." Said Much. "We can't leave her to be held captive in the castle."

Robin didn't hear his former servant. He thought about what the Sheriff had said.

_I've got the feeling you'll come looking for me soon enough._

"We're going to help her." Robin said. Little John nodded.

"We go to Nottingham!" he proclaimed.

_Next: Enter Achilles_


	6. Enter Achilles

Disclaimer: I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters. These characters belong to the BBC and Tiger Aspect companies and are their properties. I'm not getting anything from this except a lot of enjoyment and hopefully you are too.

**Author's notes: **This is the chapter when Achilles enters the story properly. Hopefully some people have been able to figure out who it is. But I promise that this doesn't signal the end of the story just yet (personally I don't want it to end at all, but alas it must). This chapter took the longest to write and some things have happened that I never intended to happen but have quickly become an important part of the story. Here it is I hope you enjoy it.

**Chapter 6: Enter Achilles**

Faith began to regain consciousness. Her surroundings swam around her as she slowly opened her eyes. She was staring at a hard stone floor. Raising her head she saw two rather menacing walls to either side of her, which she was chained to by some wrist shackles that held her up, while the wall opposite her was composed of bars. She was strung across one of the cells in the dungeons of Nottingham castle. She swore under her breath and breathed out in frustration. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Outside the cell a rather excited jailer was leering at her through the bars.

"Someone's in trouble." He jeered with a wide grin. "The Sheriff is coming to see you later. Rather you than me." Faith took in her surroundings and ran the scenario through in her head. She calculated the possible outcomes of this predicament. The Sheriff would turn up. Not good. Robin and the others would turn up only for their entry to be detected. Not good. Both Robin and the Sheriff would turn up. Even worse. She slumped so she wouldn't see the jailer's ugly face. This was not a good day.

Much hid behind a beam not far from the castle gate. He was all for rescuing Faith but he couldn't remember how he'd got into being the distraction so the others could get in undetected. He slid out from his hiding place and whistled loudly.

"Hey!" he yelled. "Idiots! Bet you can't catch me!" The guards began to run at Much who turned and ran off into the streets of Nottingham. "I hate being the distraction." He muttered under his breath.

Robin watched his former manservant lead the guards away from the gates and he along with the others slipped in through them silently. Each of them found places to hide around the courtyard like under a cart or behind a barrel, while some more guards rushed past to watch the gate again. Allan was next to Robin and when they'd passed he whispered to his leader.

"That was too easy." Robin nodded. He stood up and crossed the courtyard and found an open door that was unguarded. He signalled the others and they quietly followed him. Entering the castle corridor they all hid in an alcove.

"We need to split up." Robin told them. They nodded in agreement. "She's likely to be in the dungeons but she could be anywhere."

They decided to split into the same teams as when they were in Locksley; Allan with Robin and Will with Little John.

Faith couldn't stay in the cell. She knew that Robin and the others would attempt a rescue. Then surely they'd find out. She knew they'd find out eventually, that was as inevitable as the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening. She couldn't just do nothing.

The adaptable girl stood up and took the strain on her chains. Taking a deep breath she pulled on them, attempting to remove them from the walls with sheer strength. It was well known that the Sheriff tended to be tight-fisted when paying for his castle to be updated, making it that little bit easier to rip the fixed chain points from the wall. Even so it was incredibly difficult and Faith was beginning to turn red from lack of oxygen yet she didn't stop pulling.

After several minutes the wall gave in and the chains were wrenched free. Faith collapsed onto the cold, hard, cobbled floor and gasped desperately for breath allowing the oxygen to flow round her body and bring feeling back to her limbs. The shackles were still clasped round her thin wrists but at least she wasn't strung up like a piece of meat anymore.

Getting to her knees, she finished catching her breath. Time was swiftly growing short so Faith stood up and slowly made her way to the locked door. The jailer was nowhere to be seen, having tired of taunting the girl quite quickly. Picking the lock would be simple. Moving around the vast guard-ridden castle unnoticed while dragging chains behind her; that would be the challenge.

Allan could hear his heart beating heavily against his chest. Both he and Robin had managed to move around unchallenged by guards which made them wary. He was worried. He kept getting the feeling that someone was following them but every time he turned there was no one to be seen. Robin wasn't speaking, most likely focusing all his attention on keeping unseen. Creeping had always been tricky in the castle as there were very few places to hide in the corridors so if they _were_ seen they would have to make a run for it.

Before they split up Robin had spoken to them as a group.

"I doubt he will have put her in the dungeons. He'll expect us to look there first" He had whispered. Allan, Will and John had nodded and they'd split up.

They carried on in silence. The only sound was their feet clopping on the stone floor as they moved through the numerous corridors. Allan could feel his stomach doing somersaults in his body. There was no way this much silence could be good news. Surely there'd at least be the odd couple of guards chatting to each other or servants walking to and from each room, but no; nothing; no one. Something wasn't right.

Suddenly, a hand clamped itself around Allan's mouth. His hands shot up to his mouth as a reflex. He tried to shout but the hand had his mouth clamped shut tight and he felt himself being dragged backwards, away from Robin who hadn't noticed. Allan struggled with all of his might. He kicked and twisted trying to get free or at least to alert Robin but his efforts were futile. Allan was dragged, still struggling, into a room and thrown to the floor by his captor. His head hit the floor quite hard. It wasn't enough to knock him out but it was enough to make him severely disorientated. He tried to stand up but was knocked down again by a heavy blow to the back of his head. This time he was barely conscious.

"Who's there?" he croaked weakly at his assailant. "Who are you?" Allan was given a swift kick to the face and he was finally unconscious.

Gisborne looked at the pitiful outlaw sprawled helplessly on the floor; although it had taken longer to knock him out than he had anticipated. Usually one blow was enough to keep them sleeping for hours.

Allan's mouth was surrounded by blood that was pouring from his nose and mouth. Also he had a deep cut on the left side of his forehead from his second impact with the floor. Gisborne glanced at his boots and grimaced as he saw that they were spattered with blood.

"You're a bit messy, Gisborne." Said the Sheriff from the shadows of the room. "Did you have to make such a mess?"

"He was resilient, my Lord." Said Gisborne, smiling at the limp figure at his feet.

"Yes, well," the Sheriff commented staying well back, "that's the problem with outlaws. Peasants don't bother to fight; they know they're beat. Outlaws have more spirit. Makes them harder to break." The Sheriff shuffled forward tentatively. "Mind you, there is a lot of blood. He'll be no use if he's dead" He walked round the room to the door making every attempt not to touch the body. "Make sure you bring him with you." And he opened the door and left.

Robin had crept round everywhere and hadn't seen Faith. He reached the great hall where the Sheriff had held the feast on Robin's return from the Holy Land. Now it was empty. Cautiously Robin scanned the room. No one was here.

"There's no one here, Allan." He said. "Let's keep look-" he turned and saw Allan wasn't there anymore. "Allan!" he called retreating part way down the passage. "Allan!"

"I think your friend might be lost." Came a cold, snide voice. Robin turned and saw the Sheriff and several guards coming towards him from another corridor. The outlaw removed an arrow from his quiver and drew his bow.

"Come no closer," ordered Robin, "or I shall shoot." The Sheriff laughed but stopped where he was stood.

"You can shoot me if you want Hood." He turned to one of his guards. "Will my last words be a mutter of regret, hm?" he turned back to Robin. "A clue: no. They'll probably be 'Kill those men.'." he pointed to something behind his nemesis.

Slowly Robin turned, still gripping his bow, and felt a wash of guilt. Behind him were three guards. One of them had Will in a headlock while the other two were struggling to restrain Little John. Both were wearing apologetic looks on their faces. Not long ago, Robin had sworn that if anyone was harmed as a means of getting to him, he would kill the smarmy Sheriff. But if he shot the Sheriff, his comrades would be killed. He put the arrow back in his quiver and hooked his bow over his shoulder. Vaizey laughed at the feeling of power over his enemy.

"Why don't we all go in the hall, hm?" Robin allowed himself to be shepherded through the hall doors and down the wooden steps. Will and Little John followed somewhat more reluctantly, Will having been released from his headlock. "This is fun isn't it?" The Sheriff seemed to be struggling to stop himself from skipping as he walked. "All of us here. But wait," he put up a finger, "we're missing someone, aren't we?" he clicked his fingers and another guard came through the door roughly escorting Much. Robin's former manservant seemed angry at getting himself caught.

"I'm sorry, master." He apologised. Robin shook his head.

"You needn't be. We got in." The Sheriff clapped his hands in delight.

"Oh, today is a good day." He paraded in front of the outlaws.

"You disgust me." Said Robin.

"Oh don't worry, Hood." Vaizey stopped before the man who had stood in his way many times before. "You're not the one I'm after for once. No it's you're charming little friend, I want. And she ought to be here any second now."

Faith was walking cautiously through the corridors. She hadn't liked having the shackles clinging hard to her wrists and had spent a long time attempting to slide them free. It hadn't been easy and blood had been drawn. She still carried one of the chains so she could use it to attack anyone who stood in her way.

Things didn't feel right. There was a particularly ominous feel about the corridors. Faith didn't know where she was going to go. Running away would be considerably difficult. Staying would be dangerous. She sighed. Why did she have to make decisions like this? It would be easier to have them made for her.

She heard some footsteps behind her and swung round. She came face to face with a guard.

"'Ere you should be in the dungeons." He said.

"Should I?" he approached her and drew his sword. Faith swung the chain round her head and it swung into the side of the guard, making him double-up.

"You little-"The girl hooked the chain round his neck and pulled from behind causing him to choke.

"I'm really sorry, I wouldn't do this normally but times change and so do people." She didn't want to kill him. Just subdue him. "Can you tell me where I can find the Sheriff?" she loosened her grip so he could talk.

"He's…he's in the great hall…with his prisoners." He struggled to breathe.

"Prisoners?"

"Yes…Hood…and his gang…they entered the castle."

"Where's the great hall?"

"That way." He croaked, pointing don the corridor. He could almost feel the air leaving his lungs and passed out. Faith took the chain from round his neck and lowered him on to the floor placing the chain beside him.

"I'm sorry and thank you." She whispered as she took his sword. Faith then stepped over his unconscious body heading towards the great hall.

Slowly Faith walked through the door to the great hall and began to descend the wooden steps. She saw Will and Little John being restrained by some guards while Robin stood on his own not far from the Sheriff who was dressed in his black robes.

"At last," said the Sheriff, "the guest of honour arrives. I believe you're what could be called 'fashionably late'." He saw the sword in her hand as she stopped half-way down. "Oh and she's brought a toy." Robin looked at the sword. It was standard issue for the guards of the castle. He glanced further up and saw blood trickling from her wrists.

"What happened?" he said concerned.

"Oh," the Sheriff was very sarcastic, "your new friends care about you."

"At least someone cares about me." Faith said spitefully. The Sheriff's smile slipped.

"What?" the impertinent girl smiled slightly.

"You heard me." Robin grinned. She seemed surer of herself now than she did earlier. The Sheriff wasn't very happy anymore.

"I wonder," he said out loud, "if they know who you are." Faith stopped smiling. She knew this would happen. "I wonder, if they'll care as much when they know." He looked her right in the eyes and she saw that he would tell them. She'd never doubted it. "Come down here and see your little friends, hm?" Faith continued down the stairs.

"You're not very observant, are you?" she said.

"What do you mean?" he seemed irritable and Faith just wanted to see how far she could push him before he lost it.

"You said 'little friends' yet it is clearly obvious that I am smaller than they are." She smiled again as she reached the foot of the stairs and stopped. "All power and no brains, that's you isn't it?" Vaizey scowled. "Oh, have I hit a nerve?"

"You are already treading on thin ice." He said through gritted teeth.

"Well, I believe that if I am, as you say, treading on thin ice that I have every right to jump up and down on it." Her grin seemed to be taunting him. His face wore a look of pure hatred now. "Are you angry with me, big scary man?" she said patronisingly and then she laughed. He struck her across the face with the back of his hand.

"Hey!" said Robin. He stepped forward but the guard holding Will grabbed him, pulling him back.

Straightening up, Faith lifted her hand to her face. Pulling her fingers away she saw there was blood. The Sheriff waved the hand he'd struck her with. There were two rings on his fingers; they must have cut her cheek as he smacked her. Now she was over the initial shock of his actions she just shrugged it off.

"I must have really upset you for you to backslap me."

"You were supposed to kill him."

"What?" said Robin. What did the Sheriff mean?

Vaizey smiled.

"Shall I tell them?" he said. Faith wasn't smiling anymore and she didn't reply either. "Now you decide not to talk."

"Faith? What is he talking about?"

"Faith?" the Sheriff practically laughed with delight. "Is that what you told them your name is?"

Much watched. Suddenly something clicked in his head and it all made sense.

"No." he said in disbelief.

"Do you think he's twigged?" asked the Sheriff, calming down.

"No." Much said again.

"Yes."

"Much what is it?" Will said.

"She's that assassin." He said. "The one that Peter warned you about."

Robin turned from his former manservant to Faith. He didn't want to believe it but it all made sense. She had shot him and when she hadn't killed him had no doubt given them money to gain their trust. He shook his head.

"Faith." He said quietly. "You're Achilles?"

_Next: Duel to the Death_


	7. Duel to the Death

Disclaimer: I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters. These characters belong to the BBC and Tiger Aspect companies and are their properties. I'm not getting anything from this except a lot of enjoyment and hopefully you are too.

**Author's notes: **As I promised this isn't the end although it approaches quickly. I have had many great reviews and people putting me on story alert so I thank you. I have waited for ages to be able to type this and have really enjoyed this chapter as things get a bit more serious. WARNING: YOU MAY CRY DURING THIS CHAPTER (I KNOW I DID)

**Chapter 7: Duel to the Death**

"You're Achilles?" Robin said again. Faith didn't speak. Robin's words went through her like a dagger.

"He doesn't like you as much anymore, does he?"

"You were planning to kill Robin!" John roared. Faith still didn't speak; she just stood there staring at them.

"I knew there was something not right with you." Much barked.

"No you didn't!" Faith said sternly. "The only one who 'knew' was Allan. You trusted me."

"We took you into our gang." Will said. The Sheriff was shocked by this.

"WHAT?" he walked over to her and pulled her dog tag from under her shirt. "Dear God!" He said ripping it from her neck in anger. "I pay you fifty pounds to kill Hood and promise you another fifty when he's dead!" he shouted. "Not only do you not kill him; not only do you help him defy me; you join his ranks!"

Faith had closed her eyes against the bombardment of spit that came from his mouth. When he stopped she wiped one of her hands across her still closed eyes and flicked the spit to the side.

"You disgust me!" he shouted again. Faith looked at her feet. "Since you failed to kill him, he will hang."

"That would be what is known in layman's terms as a mistake." Faith said. Vaizey ignored her and turned to Robin.

"Guards take him to-ack!" Faith had grabbed the back of his robes, pulled him back and pressed the sword that she held into his throat. "What are you doing?" he wheezed with difficulty.

"Tell your guards to let them go and then leave." She ordered him.

"No." He choked again as she pressed the sword further into his neck drawing a bit of blood.

"Do not test me, Vaizey." She said assertively. "Just because I wouldn't kill Robin doesn't mean I won't kill you." Faith moved the sword away from his throat ever-so-slightly. "Tell your guards to let them go and then leave." She repeated. Robin looked into Faith's eyes and saw she was more than capable of slitting the Sheriff's throat. Looking in Vaizey's eyes he saw the man's fear. He had never known the Sheriff to be afraid.

"Let…Let those men go. Then leave." Vaizey croaked. The guards hesitated unsure whether they would be punished later for doing as he said now.

"They're not listening." Said Faith.

"Let them go!" Vaizey gasped again. "Let them go or you are all fired!"

The guards that were holding the outlaws took their hands off their captives and ascended the staircase out of the room. Once out one of them ran for help.

John straightened up and dusted himself down while Will took up his axe.

"You were working for the Sheriff all along!" said Much angrily. He approached her but still kept his distance. "You were going to kill my master!"

"We treated you like family." Will said in anger.

"Look, if this bothers you that much, we can talk about it later." Faith said not taking her eyes off the Sheriff. "But right now, as you can no doubt see, my hands are a bit full." She nodded to the stairs. "I think it would be better if you disappeared before someone turns up." Will turned from the scene and ran part way up the stairs before stopping and looking back. John shot a look of pure hatred at Faith who didn't pay it any attention. He then began to follow Will after retrieving his quarter-staff from the floor.

"Master?" Much said. Robin hadn't moved.

"You were going to kill me." he said. He didn't sound angry; he sounded more confused like he couldn't comprehend what he was being told.

"When this is all over, go to your lady friend." Faith said in reply. "She'll know what to do. Now go!" Robin looked at the girl who had just yesterday saved his life. "Go!"

"Come on, master!" said Much and he dragged Robin away up the stairs after Will and Little John. The Sheriff watched them jump up the wooden steps and leave. He tried to breathe a sigh of relief but the sword against his windpipe nearly launched him into a coughing fit.

"They're free." He hacked. "Now let me go!" Faith didn't move.

"You still don't remember." She dug the sword further into his throat as her anger rose at the memory of what he did. "Three years ago. Under Prince John's orders you sent your men to burn the house of one of your servants."

"What?"

"You ruined my life!" she shouted. "You took away my brother! You nearly killed me! Then you have the gall to ask me to kill the only man who stands up to you!"

"I don't know what you mean?" The Sheriff didn't want to provoke her. As long as he could keep her talking he'd be alright. Faith shook her head.

"I don't expect you'd remember." She said calmly. "How many people have you hurt over the years? Hundreds? Thousands? Why would you remember one person?" Someone in the room coughed.

Faith took her eyes from the Sheriff and saw Gisborne at the foot of the stairs carrying some folds of cloth. He was smiling in the way that suggested that he knew something that she didn't.

"Need a hand, my Lord?" Gisborne said still smiling. Vaizey looked angrily at his leather-clad dunder-headed sidekick. He didn't need to be made fun of now.

"Stay there!" ordered Faith. "Come any closer and I swear to God that the Sheriff need never worry about buying a hat again." Gisborne laughed. "You think I won't do it, but I promise I will."

"I don't doubt it." He remarked. "But if you _do _kill him then I can't promise you your friend will be safe."

"What friend?" said Faith cautiously. She didn't like the way this conversation was going. Gisborne threw the cloth in his hand onto the floor. It landed with a thud.

'Cloth doesn't thud' thought Faith.

Gisborne then kicked it and it rolled over. Faith gasped. It wasn't cloth. It was Allan!

"What did you do?" she asked looking at Allan's limp body. He had a small trickle of blood coming from his nose and mouth. A large gush of blood also came from a cut in his forehead and a large purpley-red bruise showed through the top of his tunic. A similar bruise seemed to be accumulating around his right eye. Not Allan. Please not Allan. Gisborne was smiling wildly. "What happened?"

"Gisborne," croaked the Sheriff, "need I remind you that she has a very sharp sword at my throat. Making her angry is not a clever move."

"What happened?" Faith repeated.

"That doesn't matter." Gisborne said. "What does matter is that if you don't let the Sheriff go, then whatever happened will happen again." The girl was faced with a dilemma. If she killed the man she hated with every fibre of her being, she would cause the death, or at least further suffering, of Allan, the only person who saw her for who she was. "What is your choice?"

Allan could hear voices talking beside him. Every part of his body ached so he didn't try to move just yet. He didn't know where he was but he knew he could feel the floor against his cheek. The last thing he could remember was he and Robin were creeping through the corridor. Then it came back to him. The hand, the struggle and the unbelievable pain.

"What is your choice?" he heard a voice above him say above him. Gisborne!

Thinking Gisborne was talking to him, Allan tried to move but it only caused more pain. Wincing slightly, he groaned. What had happened to him?

He felt someone kneel next to him and so he made an attempt to open his eyes. They felt swollen and he could see out of them just a crack. He saw Faith looking back at him with a look of fear while she held a sword at the Sheriff's throat. Allan's head was swimming. He was extremely disorientated and couldn't process what was happening above him. Something was wrong though. He could gather that from how he felt.

Faith released the Sheriff from her grip but still held the sword tightly in her right hand. Vaizey scurried from the girl clutching desperately at his throat. He took his fingers away from his throat and saw the thin spattering of blood over his fingers. He turned and pointed at his attacker.

"You're crazy!" he yelled, constantly touching his punctured neck. "You are crazy!"

"And you look like a balding weasel." she snapped back.

"I will see you hang for this!" he shouted. "Guards! Guards!" His guards returned and quickly apprehended the girl ripping the sword from her grasp. Then a thought occurred to him. He smiled as it crossed his mind. "On second thoughts…wait…" he walked up to her. "You are the perfect killer, are you not?"

"That's what they say." No emotion showed on her face but the Sheriff was not worried.

"You must be…quite good with a sword."

"I must be." He struggled to tell whether she was being sarcastic.

"What say I give you a chance to…redeem yourself?"

"Very sporting of you." She said. "But how?" The Sheriff smiled.

"To the courtyard!"

Robin ran out of the courtyard, closely following the others. Everything made sense. He didn't want to believe it but he had to. Faith was planning to kill him. She'd planned this all. Still there was something screaming at him that she wouldn't do that kind of thing. He and his men stayed in Nottingham as he had to sort something out.

"_When this is all over, go to your lady friend. She'll know what to do."_

He sent word to Marian to meet him as soon as possible. He had to know what Faith had meant. He had to clear things up even if the others didn't understand.

"I must say," said Faith as she walked next to the Sheriff, "I'm not feeling terribly brilliant about this idea of yours."

"Why ever not?" he asked.

"You're smiling."

"Oh, come now," he said grinning wildly. "I think you'll like this a bit more than the alternative."

"Do I detect a patronising tone there?" Faith said laughing slightly.

Behind them, Allan listened to this sinister conversation and once again felt his instinct screaming at him that there was no way that this could end well. He winced as every movement caused him pain while he was walked along almost held up by Gisborne.

Vaizey walked out onto the front steps and breathed in the foul air of Nottingham. He watched as the girl who had betrayed him stood by his side and looked up towards the overcast sky.

"That's something I never thought I'd see again." Faith muttered. She turned to the Sheriff. "So what's this proposal of yours, weasel-face?" Vaizey ignored her comment.

"You, 'Achilles', perfect killer of England take on my man-at-arms, Gisborne. A fight of honour."

"What would we fight for?"

"If you win, you walk free and are declared an outlaw meaning you can attempt to patch things up with your beloved Robin. If you lose, you surrender to the full force of the law and are hanged."

"And what of Allan?"

"Who?" The Sheriff turned and saw Allan behind him. "Oh, your little friend. Well he can walk free whatever the outcome." Faith looked intently at the Sheriff no doubt trying to see into his head.

"This is unusually noble of you."

"Hood has gone and you have flouted the law…yet…I am a bit bored of the straight forward hanging." He explained. "Also I believe you deserve a fighting chance." Faith launched into a laughing fit.

"No, really," she said when she'd calmed down, "why are you doing this?" Vaizey paused in thought.

"I guess I want to see you cut up or something. It's boring around here." His smile dropped. "Alright, I'm now growing bored. So do you want a chance of winning your freedom, or not?"

Faith looked at Allan's beaten face and glanced out towards Nottingham. She couldn't let anyone else suffer because of her.

"You got yourself a deal." She said. The Sheriff grinned.

Faith was stood facing Gisborne in the courtyard. She, like him had one sword. Faith felt its weight, noting the possible strong and weak points of the blade. She swung it across her body to feel the movement. It was shoddy craftsmanship but enough for what she faced.

"Do not expect me to go easy on you." Stated Gisborne.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Faith replied. "I mean, where would be the fun in that?"

"When you two girls have stopped chatting," said the Sheriff, "you can begin fighting."

Faith didn't move as Gisborne approached her with speed. He lifted his sword high above his head and brought it down on top of the girl. At the last minute Faith swung her sword up into a block position. Gisborne's sword slipped harmlessly off the end of her blade, which she swung around and knocked into his side.

Clutching his side with his left hand, Gisborne continued to attack with his right. He attacked her from all angles but she just blocked and parried them. Each time he attacked, it resulted in him gaining more cuts and bruises while Faith stood there unscathed.

"You have some skill with a sword." Gisborne panted after receiving a slash to the face.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that my father was a sword smith," Faith said solemnly, "and he taught all he knew about swords?" She moved in for the kill. No more holding back. This had to end right here right now.

Faith attacked Gisborne with strength she didn't know she possessed but imagined that it came from the fact that this was what she had been waiting for, for the last three years. Gisborne quickly crumpled under the fury of the attacks, exhausted by his attempts to hurt the girl. Falling to his knees, Gisborne noticed that Faith had her sword at his throat. He didn't move. She wanted to kill him and he could see it in her eyes.

'Kill him' Faith told herself. 'Kill him' but there was another voice. It told her that killing Gisborne would do no good. All it would do would be drag her down to his level. Robin wouldn't kill him, neither would her father, or David.

"Look at that." She said eventually. "It seems I've won." She moved her sword away from Gisborne's throat. She turned to the Sheriff. "I believe that means that Allan and I can be on our way."

Vaizey didn't look angry but he felt it. She was not meant to win. She was meant to die. Yet he nodded. Allan walked cautiously down the steps, now having feeling in his legs. He joined Faith and after she gave a mocking two finger salute with the sword still in her other hand to the Sheriff they made to leave.

A look of fury was shot at Gisborne who was panting on the floor. The Sheriff was not pleased. He wasn't used to not getting his way, even though it happened often. He looked at Gisborne again. He drew his finger across his throat and Gisborne knew what to do.

Slowly he stood up. Quietly as he could he snuck up behind Faith and stabbed her right in the middle of her back.

As they walked Allan breathed heavily.

"You might want to get that seen to." Faith told him. Allan said nothing. "Get ready to run." She added.

"Why?" he asked. She didn't reply and Allan noticed she wasn't next to him. He turned back and saw her stand there in silence. Her mouth was open in a silent scream. Behind her Gisborne yanked something out of her back. He was smiling, as was the Sheriff.

"I've never liked losing." Said the Sheriff. "And I'm not a man of honour."

Faith fell to her knees and Allan saw a patch of blood forming on the front of her tunic.

"Run!" she rasped. Allan hesitated as Faith staggered to her feet. "Run!" and she ran slowly towards him and dragged him out.

"Guards!" yelled the Sheriff as they got away. "Guards! Arrest that girl!"

"What of the man, my Lord?" asked one of the guards.

"Don't bother with him! Now get a move on!" He walked up to Gisborne. "You can't even kill a girl properly. You're a disgrace." And he walked into the castle in fury.

"Yes, my Lord." Gisborne said through gritted teeth before following him.

Faith was hidden in an alcove beside a house. The blood was flowing freely and she could feel it trickle down her back. Her breathing was heavy and her lungs felt on fire. Both she and Allan had run from the guards and she'd managed to lose Allan in the flight.

"Run and live." She silently prayed. "Run and live, Allan A Dale."

Faith herself had run a little more but it hurt so much. Eventually she just gave up and found a little place where she could hide. She could feel the blood seeping slowly from her stomach, bringing her to peace and she closed her eyes. No longer angry. No longer afraid.

_Chapter 8: Letter from the Grave_


	8. Letter from the Grave

Disclaimer: I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters. These characters belong to the BBC and Tiger Aspect companies and are their properties. I'm not getting anything from this except a lot of enjoyment and hopefully you are too.

**Author's notes: **I hope people 'enjoyed' chapter seven. Unfortunately this is the last chapter. This will tie up all the loose ends (hopefully), including the mysterious letter that Faith left with Marian. I've enjoyed writing this story and hope this is the first of many fanfics that I write. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the chapters and put me on story alert. I didn't expect my story to be this popular and feel I must thank Foley for being there for me (and not helping as I was adamant to do this alone).

**Chapter 8:****Letter from the Grave**

Marian walked up to the house where Robin had called her, trying to remain dry. It had begun to rain rather suddenly and caught her by surprise. She knocked gently three times on the door and waited. After a while it was answered by a man who immediately stood back to let her in.

"Thank you." She said as she passed him.

"They're in the back room." Said the man. He stopped her before she went in. "I'm nothing to do this my lady."

"Your name will not be mentioned." Marian reassured him. He smiled to show his gratitude and she proceeded into the back room.

In the back room Will was sat by the small hearth, Little John was sat in a chair and Much was stood by the window, keeping an eye out for any trouble outside. Robin himself was pacing he room. Something he often did when he did not understand what was going on.

When Marian entered they were in the middle of a conversation.

"Why are we here, master?" remarked Much.

"Faith said to contact Marian."

"She also said that she thought you were a guard when she shot you."

"Am I interrupting?" interrupted Marian. Robin turned.

"No." he said sheepishly. "No."

"What is going on?" she asked. No one replied. Will continued to stare at the hearth while Little John looked at nothing and Much glared at Robin. There was silence. "What is going on?" repeated Marian, more angrily.

"It seems that Faith was the assassin." Much said, not taking his eyes from Robin.

"What!"

"The assassin hired by the Sheriff to kill Robin."

"I still refuse to believe she would have killed me." Said Robin, frustrated.

"And I refuse to believe that I have to sleep on a stretch of grass every night instead of a lovely warm bed in Bonchurch." Much replied sternly. "But it still happens."

"It just doesn't make sense." A silence descended again upon the outlaws. Eventually Robin spoke again. "Faith said to see you. That you'd know what to do."

Marian saw that Robin was truly confused. He looked at her with a look of desperation. She did know what to do. She reached into her travelling cloak that she wore and pulled out an envelope.

"Before you went to Locksley," she began to explain, "Faith gave me this letter. She told me to give it to you when next I saw you." She held it out for him but he was afraid to take it. After a while, Marian said, "Shall I read it to you?" Robin nodded.

"Robin," Marian began to read.

"If you are reading this then you know I'm not strictly who I said was. You know that it was me who the Sheriff sent for to kill you.

"Before you judge me I ask you hear how I got to where I am today.

"You already know that I ran when our house was burnt. The kind man who looked after me was in danger if I stayed with him and so I left when I was well enough.

"I was believed dead therefore I could not go home. My Father was in the Holy Land, called there by King Richard to fight by his side and my brother was in prison for some unknown crime. I felt alone. I travelled all around England trying to move on but it was so hard.

"One day, a year and a half ago, I was here in Nottingham. There was a ransom for a young man who had done no wrong. I couldn't let him die for what he did but I knew that if I let him free then his family would be made to suffer like I had.

"After he was caught I set him free. I gave him some money and the name of a village a fair way away and told him to keep a low profile. He thanked me and left silently. I have never seen him since. When they found the empty cell I stepped forward and told them he'd tried to escape so I'd killed him and hidden the body. Luckily I was not recognised and when they asked who I was, I used the name of a warrior from the stories that my father would tell me as a child. Achilles. A killer who could not be beaten.

"Word spread of what I had done. I was called to towns, cities and villages all over England. Every nobleman was desperate to be rid of someone who didn't deserve to die, so I helped the innocent escape. I gave them some of the money I was paid to do it so they could set up a new life elsewhere but as far as my employers were aware the trouble was dealt with, with little mess and little fuss.

"Recently I heard news of your return to Nottingham. I remembered you from before things went wrong and knew you wouldn't stand for the tyranny of the new Sheriff. Then I heard you'd been declared an outlaw.

"The stories of your fights with the Sheriff spread all over England. I knew then that it would only be a matter of time before I would be called to Nottingham to kill you. I put all thoughts of that to the back of my mind and continued as normal. Until one day.

"The letter I had been dreading arrived where I was in Rochdale. It was an invitation to the Sheriff's castle. I couldn't refuse as it would arouse suspicion so I came to Nottingham ordering the driver to take his time.

"I tried to get out of it by saying I was afraid. I thought that if the Sheriff believed me afraid he would not make me do it but he just upped the price to one hundred pounds. Fifty pounds to secure my services; fifty pounds when I took him your body. I didn't know what to do so I accepted.

"I left the castle and ran towards the forest. I hid the fifty pounds I'd been paid in a bush at the base of an oak tree. I didn't want it and knew you could put it to better use than me so I told your friends where it was.

"While walking around, I heard a voice and thought it some of the Sheriff's guards. I was angry and afraid so I hid and drew my bow. I only wanted to fire a warning shot that would land in the tree behind the first one but I've never been good with a bow and it landed in their chest. I shot and realised what I'd done. I hadn't shot a guard as I believed I had. I'd shot you.

"Believe me when I say this Robin. I would never be able to kill anyone who didn't deserve it. You do not deserve to die. I could never kill you, not even if I was commanded by God himself. You mean something to the people of Nottingham and I never wanted to do this but I was alone with no one to turn to for help.

"You took me in even after what I did. You made me feel like a part of a family again for the first time in years. Only Allan saw me as I was. Someone who shouldn't be trusted. Tell him he was right about me.

"I knew that it wouldn't last. So I've written this letter and given it to someone whom you trust so that I know my conscience is clear.

"You are what an Englishman should be. You, Robin Hood, Sovereign of Sherwood, Lord of Locksley and Earl of Huntingdon, are the noblest of men." Marian folded the letter up again. "Faith." She said quietly.

No one knew what to say. Even Much was stunned into silence.

"She helped people." Said Little John in shock.

"She helped us." Added Will.

Marian watched all of them look at the floor, the ceiling; anywhere to avoid looking at each other. She couldn't begin to imagine what they were feeling right now. The four of them had shunned her when they'd learnt the truth. Hang on…four?

"Where's Allan?" she asked trying not to sound like she was worried.

"He's right he…" began Robin, turning to point him out and realising he wasn't there…again. "Allan?"

Allan was wandering the streets of Nottingham. He had easily managed to shake the guards off but he'd become separated from Faith in the process. The outlaw had acquired a cloak with a hood that he wore so it would hide his face while he searched. His thoughts were on the conversation they'd had late the previous night stood in that clearing in the woods.

"_I think you have the most common sense of all this lot."_

If he did then how come he didn't figure that the Sheriff doesn't like to lose to anyone? All Allan wanted to do was shout out for Faith but knew that it would not only alert the guards to where he was but that they had been split up.

He was so immersed in his thoughts he almost didn't hear someone hissing his name. He swung round to see who was calling him and didn't see anyone at first but he noticed someone hidden behind some boxes. Going around them he came face to face with Robin and the others.

"Whoa!" said Much seeing Allan's face. "What happened to you?"

"Gisborne." And he explained all that he knew about what had happened since he had been dragged away from Robin. Everyone shifted uneasily at being presented with more information on Faith.

"I hate Gisborne!" said Will.

"I wait for the day I can take his head off his shoulders." Added Little John.

Much watched the people rushing past where they were hidden.

"What's going on?" he asked. Robin looked at Much who nodded at all the people going by.

"Why don't we find out?"

Vaizey was striding across his great hall, back and forth waiting for news on the search for the treacherous girl 'Achilles'. All his guards were out there including that idiot Gisborne

"Why are you still here Gisborne?" he'd roared at his man-at-arms. "Get out there! Find that girl and kill her properly!" Then the Sheriff threw a chair at Gisborne but being such a bad shot it hit the wall instead. "And tell them not to come back until she's dead!" he yelled as Gisborne left. "And that goes double for you!"

Now he was waiting, rather impatiently, for the news that she was no more.

A guard descended into the room, his helmet hiding his face as was decreed by the Sheriff so he would not have to discern between them.

"My Lord," he said, "I bring news on Achilles." Vaizey looked at the guard.

"Tell me that it's good news." He growled.

"I found her body in Charter Street. She seemed to have died from loss of blood." The Sheriff smiled slightly.

"Where's the body?" he asked quietly.

"I set it on fire to make sure she was dead. I left it burning to make an example and came to tell you right away." The Sheriff's smile widened.

"This is good." He said calmly. "Let's tell the masses."

Vaizey stepped before the huddled masses and prepared to talk to them. He had his story worked out and he was pleased with it. Like other lies he told the people it would make him look like the hero and others as the bad guys. Stood just behind him was the guard who had told him the wonderful news.

"Thank you for gathering so quickly." He began. "I have an announcement. As some of you may be aware I called in the talents of an assassin to help with dealing with Robin Hood. However, evidence shows that the person who turned up was an impostor.

"A man hunt was started to find the fake assassin and I can now tell you that we no longer need worry about her. She is now dead and her body is burning in Charter Street. I advise that you keep away from it and residents of Charter Street be assured that the mess left behind will be cleaned up when it is safe to do so." Then he went back into the castle.

Luckily the Sheriff had been so busy talking that he hadn't noticed Robin's gang to the side of him. Now they were in the forest, not far from their clearing. Each of them was saddened by the events of the last few days but all knew that they couldn't pretend it didn't happen. It was disrespectful to her memory.

Will had made a memorial for Faith which they had set in the woodland floor. Now, led by Robin, they were praying for her.

"As we ask the Lord our God to look after the soul of our friend, may he also help us to move on and remember the good that she did for this country. Amen." He said as he stood next to the memorial.

"Amen." The others said silently stood in a rough semi-circle opposite the memorial. Each of them thought of their memories of the girl they'd known for such a short amount of time.

Little John thought of how she'd given them the money she was paid to kill Robin without even thinking of keeping it for herself.

Will remembered how she had helped them with Robin when she'd struck him down with an arrow.

Much reflected on how she'd told him how he was loved by her mother and helped him remember when all was right with England.

Allan considered how she'd given her life to protect him after the way he'd treated her. Attacking her, tying her up, publicly showing that he didn't trust her.

Robin mulled over how the young girl had always fought on even though there wasn't much chance of her winning in the end and how she didn't kill anyone.

"One day Faith's father or her brother will arrive and ask about her." Allan said to Robin after the others had, one-by-one, wandered back to camp leaving them alone at the memorial. "You know that, don't you?" Robin nodded. "What'll we tell them?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to that." Robin replied solemnly. "Until then all we can do is remember." They stood there for a little while longer before Robin said, "Come on. We still have a job to do."


	9. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters. These characters belong to the BBC and Tiger Aspect companies and are their properties. I'm not getting anything from this except a lot of enjoyment and hopefully you are too.

Through the streets, in the opposite direction to Charter Street, the guard who had burnt the body of Achilles strode slowly and with intent purpose. Half-way along one street far from the castle he walked up to the door of a house and without stopping he entered.

Once he had entered he removed his helmet and ruffled his black hair. Sighing with relief he walked up to the body that was laid on the floor. It was still breathing but there was blood everywhere. As he removed the rest of his guard's uniform, tossing it to the side, it revealed his normal clothes that were also covered in blood.

It was clear to see that he wasn't a guard at all. For one thing he looked too young, probably no more than nineteen. And for another he got a piece of cloth and began to wash away the blood from the person's stomach. The person stirred and winced at the pain.

"Ssh." Said the boy reassuringly. "It's alright." And his patient settled again

He knelt there for hours tending to the horrendous wounds on the poor person's body almost as if he was a professional. Bandaging their wounds with clean bandages and such precision was a very difficult thing to do and yet he did it almost effortlessly.

When he was finished, he washed his skin of all the blood that had got onto him before kneeling by the person's head, picking it up and cradling it gently. He was sat there for hours again as night came and went, not moving an inch except to get food. Watching her intently.

After a few days of the same he was still there watching over the person as though his life depended on it.

Then one day the person opened their eyes a crack and the first thing they saw was the boy's face. Looking at it though, there was something was very familiar about him. He was someone they knew, surely.

"David?" they said. The boy smiled at hearing his name. "Is that you?"

"Hello Faith." He said.


End file.
